1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of processing mailpieces, in which method Customer Applied Identifier (CAI) codes are assigned to the mailpieces by a sender of the mailpieces, and, while the mailpieces are passing through a postal operator's postal sorting system, a current CAI code is retrieved from each current mailpiece, and said current CAI code is associated with location information for remotely tracking the current mailpiece in the sorting process.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Such a method is already known from Patent Document FR-2 807 348. That known method makes it possible for a bulk sender or “bulk mailer” to obtain a service for tracking and locating mailpieces in real time. The use of CAI codes also makes it possible for the sender to improve its databases of addresses of the recipients of the mailpieces. For the postal operator, this results in a reduction in the costs of delivering the mailpieces because there are fewer upsets and errors in the automatic sorting of the mailpieces.
Until now, CAI codes have been printed by the sender on the mailpieces in the form of barcodes, in particular code 128 barcodes. For example, the CAI code can be printed by the sender at the same time as the recipient address block is being printed on the envelope.
Such specific barcodes printed for mailpiece tracking purposes can be sources of confusion when reading the address information on the surfaces of the mailpieces.